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Gordon Brown will fight one last election
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has pledged that he will step down at "some point" during the next parliament should he beat the Conservatives in two years.
- The Telegraph Group Limited
- Published: 00:14 June 22, 2008
London: Gordon Brown has told close allies that the next general election will be his last as Labour leader.
The Prime Minister has pledged that he will step down at "some point" during the next parliament should he beat the Conservatives in two years.
Brown has let a few senior Cabinet colleagues know that he intends to quit in time to allow his successor at least a year to fight the election after next, a move designed to stop speculation about his leadership.
If he pulls off a remarkable comeback and wins in 2010 he will quit well before the country goes to the polls. However, by setting out a timetable for his future departure Brown may find that some question whether he should leave sooner.
First year
Friends point out that Brown, who will mark his first year as Prime Minister on Friday, would be approaching his mid-60s in 2013. By that time he could have spent 16 years at the highest levels of government.
Opinion polls indicate that such is Labour's unpopularity, that Brown is likely to be forced out sooner, following a comfortable Tory win.
But even then, he is expected to stay as Labour leader to allow an "orderly" campaign to find a successor, similar to the way Michael Howard relinquished the Conservative leadership after being defeated in 2005.
If he wins, he will serve as Prime Minister, before allowing a successor one year to "bed in" before the country goes to the polls.
But some MPs openly question whether Brown should lead the party into the next election. A poll this month put the Tories 26 points ahead of Labour.
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